U.S. patent number 7,100,543 [Application Number 10/502,472] was granted by the patent office on 2006-09-05 for method and apparatus for membrane separation of air into nitrogen and oxygen elements for use in internal combustion engines.
This patent grant is currently assigned to World Air Energy Corporation. Invention is credited to James G. Davidson.
United States Patent |
7,100,543 |
Davidson |
September 5, 2006 |
Method and apparatus for membrane separation of air into nitrogen
and oxygen elements for use in internal combustion engines
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing the emissions and improving
the performance of an internal combustion engine (40). An input air
stream is separated into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a
nitrogen-enriched air stream. The nitrogen-enriched air stream is
received by a holding chamber (35). The oxygen-enriched air and a
combustible fuel are provided to a combustion chamber (45) of the
internal combustion engine (40) and a combustion process is
initiated. After a predefined time delay, a volume of
nitrogen-enriched air is provided from the holding chamber (35) to
the combustion chamber (45) to be used during the rest of the
combustion process.
Inventors: |
Davidson; James G. (Paris,
TN) |
Assignee: |
World Air Energy Corporation
(Nixon, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
27658030 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/502,472 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2002 |
PCT
Filed: |
January 25, 2002 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/US02/02168 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
November 23, 2004 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO03/064844 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
August 07, 2003 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20050081800 A1 |
Apr 21, 2005 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/26;
123/585 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02M
25/12 (20130101); B01D 53/22 (20130101); B01D
63/02 (20130101); F02B 47/00 (20130101); F02B
47/06 (20130101); F02D 19/12 (20130101); Y02T
10/12 (20130101); B01D 2313/18 (20130101); Y02T
10/121 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F02B
41/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;123/26,585
;60/274,285 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Linda Wang, "Clean Diesel Work Wins R&D 100 Award", Logos, Fall
1999, vol. 17, No. 2. cited by other .
Compact Membrane Systems, Inc., "Combustion Engine Applications",
Jan. 15, 2002. cited by other .
Argonne National Laboratory, "Cleaner Diesel Engines Possible with
Award-Winning Technology", Frontiers 2000, Jan. 15, 2002. cited by
other .
Argonne Transportation, "Chemical Filter Cleans Up Diesels", Jan.
14, 2002. cited by other .
The University of Manchester, "Diesel Emissions Overview,"
Maintenance Engineering Research, Jan. 15, 2002. cited by other
.
Argonne National Laboratory, "Modifying Intake Air to Reduce
Unwanted Emissions in Diesel Engines", Apr. 2001. cited by other
.
System Fire Group, "Hollow Fiber Membrane Gas Separation", Jan. 15,
2002. cited by other .
John DeGaspari, "Cleaner Diesels", Mechanical Engineering Power,
Jan. 15, 2002. cited by other .
Technology Transfer at Argonne, "Clean-Diesel breakthrough:
Simultaneous Decrease in Emissions of Both Particulates and Oxides
of Nitrogen During Combustion", Argonne National Laboratory, Jan.
15, 2002. cited by other .
R. J. R. Uhlhorn et al., "Gas Separations with Inorganic Membrane".
cited by other .
Compact Membrane Systems, Inc., "Hollow Fiber Membrane Module and
Nitrogen Enriched Air for Reduced Diesel Engine N.sub.ox, " Jan.
15, 2002. cited by other .
http://11 www. 100megsfree4.com/dictionary/car-dicn.htm,
"Dictionary of Automotive Terms Abbreviations," Jan. 21, 2002.
cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Gimie; Mahmoud
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for the operation of an internal combustion engine
comprising the steps of: providing oxygen-enriched air and fuel to
a combustion chamber; initiating combustion of the oxygen-enriched
air and fuel; and providing, separately from the oxygen-enriched
air, a predefined volume of nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion
chamber after a predefined time delay to be used during the
remainder of the combustion.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the step of providing
oxygen-enriched air and fuel to a combustion chamber: providing an
input air stream to a membrane; and separating, using the membrane,
an input air stream to produce the oxygen-enriched air and the
nitrogen-enriched air.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined time delay
comprises: substantially four milliseconds.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined volume of
nitrogen-enriched air comprises: substantially ninety-percent of
the volumetric mass within the combustion chamber.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine
comprises: a diesel engine.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine
comprises: a gasoline engine.
7. An apparatus comprising: a separation device for receiving an
input air stream and producing oxygen-enriched air and
nitrogen-enriched air; a holding chamber for receiving, separately
from the oxygen-enriched air, the nitrogen-enriched air from said
separation device; and a combustion chamber for receiving the
oxygen-enriched air from said separation device and a combustible
fuel, the combustion chamber initiating a combustion process using
the oxygen-enriched air and the combustible fuel, and further
receiving, separately from the oxygen-enriched air, a predefined
volume of the nitrogen-enriched air from the holding chamber after
a predefined time delay to be used during the remainder of the
combustion process.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said separation device
comprises: a membrane.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predefined time delay
comprises: substantially four milliseconds.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predefined volume of
nitrogen-enriched air comprises: substantially ninety-percent of
the volumetric mass within the combustion chamber.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the holding chamber further
comprises: at least one of an injection nozzle, an electronic
valve, a mechanical valve, and a pump for providing the desired
predefined volume of the nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion
chamber.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the internal combustion
engine comprises: a diesel engine.
13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the internal combustion
engine comprises: a gasoline engine.
14. An internal combustion engine comprising: a separation device
for receiving an input air stream and producing oxygen-enriched air
and nitrogen-enriched air; a holding chamber for receiving,
separately from the oxygen-enriched air, the nitrogen-enriched air
from said separation device; and a combustion chamber for receiving
the oxygen-enriched air from said separation device and a
combustible fuel, the combustion chamber initiating a combustion
process using the oxygen-enriched air and the combustible fuel, and
further receiving, separately from the oxygen-enriched air, a
predefined volume of the nitrogen-enriched air from the holding
chamber after a predefined time delay to be used during the
remainder of the combustion process.
15. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein said
separation device comprises: a membrane.
16. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein the
predefined time delay comprises: substantially four
milliseconds.
17. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein the
predefined volume of nitrogen-enriched air comprises: substantially
ninety-percent of the volumetric mass within the combustion
chamber.
18. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein the holding
chamber further comprises: at least one of an injection nozzle, an
electronic valve, a mechanical valve, and a pump for providing the
desired predefined volume of the nitrogen-enriched air to the
combustion chamber.
19. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein the
internal combustion engine comprises: a diesel engine.
20. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein the
internal combustion engine comprises: a gasoline engine.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and system for reducing
emissions and improving performance of an internal combustion
engine by providing oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air
to a combustion chamber.
2. Description of Related Art
The purpose of an internal combustion engine is to convert the
chemical energy of fuel into the mechanical energy of motion using
a process of combustion. As is known, internal combustion engines
are used extensively in a variety of machines including mobile
vehicles, or for other purposes, such as power generation. However,
internal combustion engines produce emissions from the combustion
process which include a number of pollutants whose presence are
undesirable in the environment. As a result, numerous regulations
have been implemented by various government bodies requiring
reductions in these pollutants. The primary pollutants produced by
internal combustion engines during the combustion process include
oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter
(PM), and hydrocarbons (HC). Nitrogen oxides (NOx), such as nitric
oxide and nitrogen dioxide, are formed during the combustion
process when air combines with oxygen under the high temperature
conditions of the engine's combustion chamber. Nitrogen oxides
contribute to the formation of ozone, smog, and acid-rain. Carbon
monoxide is formed during the combustion process from the
incomplete combustion of the air-fuel mixture. Carbon monoxide is a
colorless, odorless, and toxic gas, and is one of the most
dangerous of the combustion process pollutants. Particulate matter
is also formed during incomplete combustion and consists of a
mixture of solid and liquid matter whose main constituent is
carbon. Particulate matter is a major source of visible urban air
pollution such as soot and haze. Hydrocarbons are formed from the
combustible fuel and lubrication oils and additives used within the
engine. Both particulate matter and hydrocarbons are suspected
carcinogens. In comparison to gasoline engines, diesel engines have
particularly high concentrations of nitrogen oxides and particulate
matter contained in their emissions.
It has been known in the past that the introduction of
oxygen-enriched air into the combustion chamber during the
combustion process allows for more complete combustion and results
in a reduction in the formation of particulate matter, carbon
monoxide, and hydrocarbons. An increase in fuel efficiency, as well
as engine power, can also be achieved through oxygen-enrichment.
However, oxygen-enrichment of the combustion process results in an
undesirable change in NOx production, as well as an increase in
combustion temperatures, which can cause engine overheating. An
example of an oxygen-enrichment of intake air is described in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,636,619. The method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,619
requires the use of a suitable NOx after-treatment device in the
exhaust stream to attempt to reduce the higher level of NOx
generated by the oxygen-enrichment. However, U.S. Pat. No.
5,636,619 does not offer a solution to the problem of engine
overheating caused by oxygen-enrichment of intake air.
The introduction of nitrogen-enriched air into the exhaust stream
of an internal combustion engine has also been known in the past to
reduce NOx present in the exhaust gases. U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,845
describes a NOx reduction method which includes the injection of
atomic nitrogen into the exhaust gases of an internal combustion
engine. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,845 also does not offer a
solution to the problem of engine overheating caused by
oxygen-enrichment of intake air.
The present invention provides for a reduction in emission
pollutants, as well as increased fuel efficiency and engine power,
while reducing or eliminating the disadvantages of prior methods.
The introduction of nitrogen-enriched air into the combustion
chamber after the start of combustion provides for a reduction in
the formation of NOx, while reducing or eliminating the problem of
engine overheating caused by oxygen-enrichment of intake air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for reducing
the emissions and improving the performance of an internal
combustion engine. An input air stream is separated at least in
part into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a nitrogen-enriched air
stream. The nitrogen-enriched air stream is received by a holding
chamber. The oxygen-enriched air and a combustible fuel are
provided to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine
and a combustion process is initiated. After a predefined time
delay, a volume of nitrogen-enriched air is provided from the
holding chamber to the combustion chamber to be used during the
rest of the combustion process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
reference is made to the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a membrane 5 for the separation of air into nitrogen and
oxygen elements in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an apparatus 30 for the separation of air into
nitrogen-enriched air streams and oxygen-enriched air streams for
use in an internal combustion engine in accordance with the
principles of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a method in flowchart form for the separation of air into
nitrogen-enriched air streams and oxygen-enriched air streams for
use in an internal combustion engine in accordance with the
principles of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference is now made to the Drawings wherein like reference
characters denote like or similar parts throughout the various
Figures. Referring now to FIG. 1, a membrane 5 for the separation
of air into nitrogen and oxygen elements in accordance with the
principles of the present invention is illustrated. The membrane 5
functions to separate air directed into the membrane 5 into
oxygen-enriched air streams and nitrogen-enriched air streams. The
membrane 5 contains an inner membrane material 10, which through a
process of selective permeation or solution-diffusion separates the
air directed through the membrane material 10 into an
oxygen-enriched air stream and a nitrogen-enriched air stream. This
process can be accomplished due to the fact that oxygen has a
higher solubility through the inner membrane material 10 than that
of nitrogen. Typically, the membrane material 10 is composed of a
bundle of hollow polymer fibers which selectively allow oxygen
molecules to diffuse through the membrane wall while allowing
nitrogen molecules to pass through the hollow fibers without being
absorbed.
During operation, an air stream is directed into the membrane 5
through an air input port 15. Oxygen-enriched air is extracted from
the membrane 5 through an oxygen-enriched air output port 20 at a
negative pressure relative to that of the air at the air input port
15. Nitrogen-enriched air is extracted from the membrane 5 through
a nitrogen-enriched air output port 25 at a high pressure relative
to that of the oxygen-enriched air. The desired high pressure of
the input air stream can be achieved by compressing, by various
methods, the air stream prior to providing the air stream to the
air input port 15. The purity of the nitrogen-enhanced air stream
can be adjusted according to the flow rate, pressure, and
temperature of the air stream fed into the membrane 5.
Referring now to FIG. 2, an apparatus 30 for the separation of air
into nitrogen-enriched air streams and oxygen-enriched air streams
for use in an internal combustion engine in accordance with the
principles of the present invention is illustrated. An input air
stream is directed into the air input port 15 of the membrane 5
which separates the air into an oxygen-enriched air stream which is
output through an oxygen-enriched air output port 20, and a
nitrogen-enriched air stream which is output through a
nitrogen-enriched air output port 25. The oxygen-enriched air
stream is at a negative pressure relative to the pressure of the
nitrogen-enriched air stream. In an example embodiment of the
present invention, the oxygen-enriched air stream is at a negative
pressure of 16 inches, and the nitrogen-enriched air stream is at a
pressure of 75 psi. The oxygen-enriched air from the
oxygen-enriched air output port 20 is directed into a combustion
chamber 45 of an internal combustion engine 40, such as a diesel or
gasoline engine, and the nitrogen-enriched air is directed from the
nitrogen-enriched air output port 25 into a holding chamber 35. In
an embodiment of the present invention, a compressor or blower,
such as a turbocharger or supercharger, may be used to increase the
pressure of the input air stream before it is directed into the air
input port 15 in order to allow the membrane 5 to more efficiently
separate the oxygen and nitrogen elements of the air. Although the
present embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the use of a
membrane, it should be understood that other methods and devices
for separating an air stream into oxygen-enriched air streams and
nitrogen-enriched air streams could be used.
After the introduction of the oxygen-enriched air into the
combustion chamber 45, a combustion process using the
oxygen-enriched air and combustible fuel is initiated. The
introduction of the oxygen-enriched air into the combustion chamber
45 allows for more complete combustion, produces more engine power,
and increases fuel efficiency. In addition, the amount of
particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons present in the
engine emissions is significantly reduced.
After a predefined time delay following the start of the combustion
process, a predefined volumetric mass of nitrogen-enriched air is
released from the holding chamber 35 and directed into the
combustion chamber 45 to be used in the remainder of the combustion
process. In one embodiment of the present invention, the time delay
for the introduction of nitrogen-enriched air is four milliseconds
and the predefined volumetric mass of nitrogen is equal to that
which gives a volumetric mass in the combustion chamber 45 of
ninety percent nitrogen and one percent unknown composition.
However, the predefined time delay and predefined volumetric mass
of nitrogen-enriched air may be chosen based on a variety of
factors including the burn rate of the fuel, the gas composition in
the combustion chamber, speed of the engine, etc. In addition, the
predefined volumetric mass can be changed continuously according to
the operating conditions of the engine 40. Because combustion is
already in progress, the nitrogen mass does not convert easily to
NOx. As a result, NOx emissions are greatly reduced. The reduced
emissions provided by the present invention eliminates the need for
a catalytic convertor. The introduction of nitrogen also provides
for the added benefit of cooling the combustion chamber 45, which
produces more engine power per volume of fuel and prevents
overheating of the engine 40. Control of the release of the
nitrogen-enriched air from the holding chamber 35 can be
accomplished through a variety of means including injection
nozzles, electronic valves, mechanical valves, pumps, etc. After
the combustion process is complete, the exhaust emissions are
expelled from the combustion chamber 45 through an exhaust outlet
50.
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present
invention, the oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air are
provided from separate sources, such as storage tanks, without the
use of a membrane to separate the oxygen and nitrogen elements from
an input air stream.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a method for the separation of air into
nitrogen-enriched air streams and oxygen-enriched air streams for
use in an internal combustion engine in accordance with the
principles of the present invention is illustrated in flowchart
form. In step 55, an input air stream is provided to an oxygen and
nitrogen separation device. In step 60, the input air stream is
separated into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a
nitrogen-enriched air stream. In step 65, the oxygen-enriched air
stream and combustible fuel are provided to the combustion chamber
of an internal combustion engine. Next, in step 70, combustion is
initiated using the oxygen-enriched air and fuel mixture. As
previously described in reference to FIG. 2, the introduction of
the oxygen-enriched air into the combustion chamber allows for more
complete combustion, produces more engine power, and increases fuel
efficiency, as well as reduces the amount of particulate matter,
carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbons present in the engine emissions.
In step 75, a volume of the nitrogen-enriched air is provided to
the combustion chamber after a predetermined time delay to be used
in the remainder of the combustion process, thereby reducing NOx
emissions and cooling the combustion chamber. Finally, in step 80,
the emissions are exhausted from the combustion chamber. The method
is repeated for each cycle of the combustion process.
Experimental results have shown that emissions, such as NOx and
carbon monoxide, can be reduced by eighty-two percent using the
principles of the present invention. For example, a diesel engine
that typically exhausts 2900 pounds of particulate matter per year
into the atmosphere is expected to be reduced by 2378 pounds per
year by using the principles of the present invention.
Although a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the
present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings
and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it is
understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment
disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,
modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit
of the invention as set forth and defined by the following
claims.
* * * * *
References